| Issue #41 | Release Date: 12/28/11 | Vol.#10 |
(Click title to go directly to the review)
Advance Review: FATALE #1
DARK CRYSTAL: CREATION MYTHS V1 HC GN
WITCH DOCTOR: THE RESUSCITATION One Shot
AQUAMAN #4
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #232
VENGEANCE #6
FUBAR V2: EMPIRE OF THE RISING DEAD
SUPERMAN #4
BLACK FIRE OGN
MONDO #1
AICN COMICS PODCAST #10!
Advance Review: In stores today!FATALE #1
Writer: Ed BrubakerArt: Sean Phillips
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewer: KletusCasady
Michael Jordan & Scottie Pippen, ice cream & Cookies, Richard Pryor & Gene Wilder, porn & the internets, Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg, Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips…see where I’m going here? This duo does some amazing things when they work together. If you are unfamiliar with these two or are new to comics, having their names at the top of a comic is basically like having an Adidas symbol on the side of your soccer shoe or having a Technics logo on the side of your turntable…what I’m getting at here is that it means you are holding a quality product in your hands. I’ve never read SLEEPER (although I‘ve heard a lot of good things about it), but CRIMINAL & INCOGNITO are really good and as far as Brubaker goes, his stuff for Marvel for the most part (CAPTAIN AMERICA 1-60 is damn near perfect, his run on DAREDEVIL is quality as hell, and I hear IRON FIST was also pretty good) have been pretty entertaining and ‘must reads’ for me. This issue puts Ed Brubaker back in the driver’s seat of a vehicle that he’s driving better than pretty much anyone: hardboiled crime stories, and in this case, with a li’l twist of evil.
The preview of this comic was of a gangster interrogating someone, trying to get information about a woman; towards the end of the questioning the man remarks that the gangster doesn’t have any idea what he’s getting into, only to have the gangster turn around with a full on Cthulu for a head (one of the covers for this issue) and say, “Oh, I think I do…” or something like that…I was totally hooked. I knew I could trust Brubaker to do a story that is well written, really grounded (a realistic feel) yet have wild elements in it but still have it work really well together.
This issue starts (like many a great detective story) with a beautiful mysterious woman, a detective who falls for said woman, and then it takes us into the awesome occult stuff this book keeps hinting at. Brubaker’s protagonists are never really bad people (well, some of them) but they’re never really that great either; however, when you find yourself rooting for these people, it’s a testament to the great character work Brubaker does on these types of comics and this issue is no different. Our protagonist here is a detective whose father, who was an author, has recently passed away and meets a troublesome woman at the funeral and from there as you can imagine things get worse for him but better for the reader. I like Brubaker’s superhero stuff (and WINTER SOLDIER is going to be great) but I think he really shines on a comic like this because I feel this is where he’s most comfortable, and that isn’t to say comics such as this are the only time he’s good but he really kicks ass on crime related stories.
As far as the art goes, Sean Phillips is really so great at conveying a certain feeling or tone in his comics, that Brubaker’s words are just icing on the cake. His art is similar to Michael Lark, Butch Guice (WINTER SOLDIER), or Steve Epting (FANTASTIC FOUR) where there isn’t anything necessarily flashy about it but the art tells a great story on its own and creates an atmosphere that fits great with Brubaker’s style. When PhilliBru team up I feel like I’m hypnotized, slowly being pulled into a web of intrigue so evil, so dense that I find myself with a ravenous urge to kill without remorse, rob without question, commit crimes without conscience...then make love to a mysterious woman (like Lady Kletus…she might be reading) on the hood of a 1965 Dodge Charger still warm from fleeing the G-men who are always one fricken’ step behind me…YOU’LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE COPPERS!!!!… {ahem}…excuse me …got kinda carried away there…basically this issue does a great job of pulling you in and holding you until you’re ultimately disappointed that there isn’t more to read.
These guys have a special chemistry that a lot of writers & artists never experience over a prolonged period of time. The art is great, and I’ve mentioned it before but creating an atmosphere is very important to my enjoyment of a comic. Every time I open one of their comics, I always feel like they’ve set up an interesting premise, created a great environment and that they’ve kept me interested in what happens to these characters no matter how flawed they are—and this issue is right up that alley. I feel like damn near every story in CRIMINAL is fantastic, not to mention movie worthy, and with the right director could be a series of great films. This comic is well written, the art is really good and as the case with all of their work, the characters, the setting, the interaction and narrative feel like a living breathing entity rather than just words and art on a page. Not sure how they always do it but I think Brubaker and Phillips have another hit on their hands. Speaking of hands, get yours on this comic as quick as you can.
Cheers to crime!
THE DARK CRYSTAL: CREATION MYTHS Vol. 1 HC GN
Writer: Brian HolguinArt: Brian Froud, Alex Sheikman, Lizzy John
Publisher: Archaia
Reviewer: MajinFu
Storytelling is the foundational communication tool of humanity. It is how we quantify and relate the world to each other, and how we come to empathize with our fellow animal. It draws us closer to the heavens, while pulling us further from our individuality, as the closeness and repetition of our various yarns become entwined and the more things change, the more they say the same.
This idea is exhibited beautifully in the new comic from the DARK CRYSTAL universe, a series of colorful origin stories and prose fables that further fleshes out the world originally seen in Jim Henson’s fantasy film. It begins with the genesis of Aughra. Folks will remember her from the movie as the one-eyed lady with the horns and the lovely demeanor, not to mention those sexy curves.Turns out she’s also the walking talking personification of the earth, born from the very rocks themselves. Brian Holguin was the original world designer for Henson’s DARK CRYSTAL film, where he originally illustrated most of the characters who would become the puppets, as well as much of the world’s flora and fauna. The new character, Aughra’s son Raunip (who was introduced in the free comic book day issue last year), fits in really well with the visual style of the other characters. I can almost imagine his puppet version moving around and talking with the Gelflings. His design is closely tied with his mother, even if there’s something about his appearance that is unsettling to me. The latter half of this issue focuses on Raunip’s conflicting views concerning the shining men who bestowed wisdom and culture to the Gelflings, and gave Aughra the Dark Crystal.
The art in the book suits the material well and sticks pretty closely to the characters’ original designs. Many of the backgrounds are kept sparse, placing a focus on the emotive figures that cover each page, all of which are illuminated by the colorful lighting that pours out of the rich, magical world and its many characters. Some of the inking is inconsistent compared to other pages, but the art is still pleasurable throughout (including some pin-ups) and serves the story well by establishing the elusive mood and tone of the original material.
DARK CRYSTAL fans that missed the comic that came out during the last Free Comic Book Day will be pleased to hear this comic also contains the content of that issue, as if you needed more incentive. If you’re not a fan of the movie, you probably won’t enjoy this as much, but for what it is, this is a nice little package that expands the mythology of a world I once feared I would never see again. These stories and images brought out the kid in me once more and they deserve to be shared with anyone who can appreciate good, honest storytelling.
WITCH DOCTOR: THE RESUSCITATION One-Shot
Writer: Brandon SeifertArt: Lucas Ketner
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewer: BottleImp
If you haven’t read the WITCH DOCTOR limited series yet—now available in trade paperback, I believe—you should do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy. The four issue mini combines horror, humor, heroics and, most of all, a great sense of FUN in a way that feels amazingly refreshing after treading through the dreary landscape that has become the norm for the oh-so-serious comic book superhero. This RESUSCITATION one-shot is no exception, as the good (well, at least good-intentioned) Dr. Vincent Morrow is drawn into a plot to resurrect a dead Egyptian god.
As with the previous series, Seifert demonstrates his strength in making the world of magic seem more like a specialized branch of science rather than a collection of mystical mumbo-jumbo. Personally, I love it that the dark world that Dr. Morrow operates in (heh heh) has rules and structures; these give the comic a solid framework that adds a level of verisimilitude to the proceedings within the pages, even if those proceedings are as outrageous as, say, exchanging a man’s kidney with the mummified kidney of Osiris. Seifert also has a gift for humor and pop culture references (like “iocane powder,” for instance) that feel effortless rather than forced, adding again to that ease of believability in the insanity of Morrow’s world.
Ketner’s artwork is a perfect match for the script, his loose and expressive brushstrokes capturing the feelings of both the action and the liveliness of the humor. In a time when the status quo for comic art is trending towards simple linework and reliance on the color palette to provide all the shading, I enjoy the retro feeling that Ketner’s inking evokes. WITCH DOCTOR has an EC, CREEPY, EERIE kind of aesthetic that brings to mind a time when horror comics had their tongues planted firmly in their cheek.
In short, if you’ve read the previous miniseries, you know what to expect here. WITCH DOCTOR is one of the most fun comics that I’ve read in recent years, and I’m looking forward to seeing more from Seifert and Ketner about the occult adventures of Dr. Morrow and Co. I’m also hankering to see just what the heck is the deal with Penny Dreadful—hopefully I won’t have to wait too long.
When released from his bottle, the Imp transforms into Stephen Andrade, an artist/illustrator/pirate monkey painter from New England. He's currently hard at work interpreting fellow @$$Hole Optimous Douche's brainwaves and transforming them into pretty pictures on AVERAGE JOE, an original graphic novel to be published by Com.x. You can see some of his artwork here.
AQUAMAN #4
Writer: Geoff JohnsArtist: Ivan Reis
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: Optimous Douche
On the night of the New 52 launch intrepid Ain’t It Cool reporters Matt Adler and Johnny Destructo were able to steal a few precious moments from Geoff Johns at Midtown Comics. Of course, JUSTICE LEAGUE was the news of the day, but our reporters had a much broader range of question than simple plot details and Geoff is just a damn nice guy that loves to talk comics. Naturally the conversation progressed to AQUAMAN and how Geoff was going to pull the drowning PR image of the mighty aqualung from the depths of his scaled lameness.
Geoff made two promises that night: one, AQUAMAN would be cool again and two, the world within the comic would not shy away from the real world perception that AQUAMAN is a fish out of water amongst superheroes.
Four months later, AQUAMAN stands as one of the first titles in the New 52 to give us a completed story arc, which in my estimation is the greatest vantage point to view a title’s fortitude (despite this ideology being completely contradictory to these weekly musings we offer to the Gods of comic good taste). So, did Geoff succeed or were his promises a few months ago merely mermaid song to lure us into dark murky waters?
Personally, I think Johns delivered on both promises and did so in just the perfect amount of time. As a purveyor of slow burn storytelling, Johns could have easily extended this arc for three or four more issues. But just because something is easy and you can do it doesn’t mean you should. Just look at JUSTICE LEAGUE; four issues in and we’re just hitting the climax with the introduction of Darkseid. Pre-52 there was a wealth of history and conversation that could have served as filler while the main plot sat at a tepid temperature on the back burner. No more; with no history the slow burn becomes the popcorn filler empty carbohydrates of cool poses and meaningless quips. I don’t want to turn this into a bashing of JUSTICE LEAGUE because despite its fluffy nature I am having fun with the book. It’s important to compare the two, though, because the wrongs of JUSTICE LEAGUE are severed by AQUAMAN’s drastically different approach.
Part of what made AQUAMAN so good is that it stayed focused on Aquaman; sure we had time with wife Mera, but only in the context of her husband. Also, the location stayed finite, not trying to set an entire country or oceanic shelf ablaze. All the action and the relationships focused on the sleepy sub-metropolis AQUAMAN calls home. This focus is important because when a writer puts the reader’s attention on setting and character, the danger merely becomes a motivation to help reveal the truly interesting heroic journey. Again, unlike JUSTICE LEAGUE the villains in AQUAMAN are a wholly new aquatic species that sprung from the darkest depths of the ocean. Their attack allowed for empathy and a true moral conundrum for AQUAMAN. This species of razor-finned gigantic tadpoles merely wanted the most basic staple of survival – food. Again, it doesn’t sound exciting, but it’s a relatable staple that man, animal and all hybrids in between share at the core of our being. It’s a motivation that when AQUAMAN does win the day it makes you wonder who was right and who was wrong, a quandary no one is stuck in when SUPERMAN or BATMAN defeat some costumed megalomaniac that merely wants to dominate the world for whatever purpose.
I think my prior statement of AQUAMAN saving the day was safe to throw out without spoiler warnings. We all knew that Aquaman was going to win, just as we know the Justice League will prevail…eventually. The surprise these days is how the hero wins, and this issue was a spectacular how. Johns allowed for an epic and heroic save that artist Reis was somehow able to make interesting despite the fact the battle was occurring in the murky depths of the ocean.
Now, I said Johns delivered on the promise of making the world within the book treat him as jokey as we treated the kids who were unfortunate to be given Aquaman Underoos circa Christmas 1978. At times, though, it felt heavyhanded. I think it’s because Johns is a victim of not recognizing his own talent. The jokes and tuna guffaws were awesome and appropriate in the beginning of the book, especially for readers like yours truly that never gave a flying fin about the character. By the end, though, after I learned that AQUAMAN is a loving, passionate and equitable marital partner; after I learned that his powers on land and sea were equally balanced and not too grandiose; after I learned that the jokes wound him and part of his hero journey is acceptance in the world just like all the rest of us; and finally, after I saw him save an entire town, the jokes started to feel immature and make me pretty fucking angry. There was one scene in the end of the book where one of the keystone cops had the audacity to say “well, I still don’t like him.” This was right after AQUAMAN saved the town and all of the people being held captive as fishy food. I screamed “dick” at the book. I understand Johns wants to keep this concept of self deprecation alive and well, but I implore him to keep the disdain character- and situation-appropriate.
AQUAMAN has to be my biggest surprise of the new 52. It’s the book I didn’t expect to enjoy and it turned out to be a book I waited for each month. It’s a book that I thought would bore me beyond the first arc, not be waiting with anticipation for the next arc of who actually sunk Atlantis. It’s a book I didn’t expect to care about; now I find myself wanting to see the development of Aquaman the merperson more so than my old staples Batman and Superman. Only time will tell if this revival will be as revered as Johns’ resurrection of THE FLASH and GREEN LANTERN, but if the first arc is any indicator AQUAMAN could very well become the shining beacon that speeds past all the other titles as the star of the New 52.
Optimous has successfully blackmailed fellow @$$Hole BottleImp into being his artist on Average Joe. Look for Imp's forced labor on Optimous brain child in mid-2012 from COM.X. Friend Optimous on FaceBook to get Average Joe updates and because ceiling cat says it's the right thing to do.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #232
Writer: Ian FlynnArt: Ben Bates, Jamal Peppers, Terry Austin, John Workman and Matt Herms
Publisher: Archie Comics
Reviewer: Henry Higgins is My Homeboy
I Just Realized I Did PUNISHER MAX last week, for added irony…
...I kinda enjoyed that. I read this book in passing when I was younger, but have long since abandoned it. I've taken note to read it every once in a while, but I can't remember ever thinking it had really improved. That was actually pretty entertaining. Ian Flynn has written a well constructed and engaging comic book.
Writing: (4/5) I seem to have stepped into the middle of a storyline, as one of the major characters has been captured and essentially is in the process being turned into a henchman for the villain, Eggman. As the established heroes show signs of weakness due to this, another enemy seems to be taking advantage of the moment in an attempt to seize control from them. It's fast paced and entertaining, while never overcomplicating the book.
The characters all make a strong impression, even for someone who only has a passing knowledge of these characters. A confrontation between Sonic and Knuckles is tense in just all the right ways, and the smaller moments between Sonic and his remaining allies are good as well. Even the villains (usually weak links in these kind of series) are effective here. Eggman especially has an almost chilling moment with the captured Sally.
The writing is not too nuanced, as to gel with the intended age group. But for what it is, it's an enjoyable comic.
Art: (4/5) The art team is stellar here. Matt Herms gives everything a bright and colourful appearance, jumping brightly. It looks like stills from a cartoon, in a very good way. All the characters are light in movement, and show clear, entertaining expressions. At times, though, it abandons this into a more repetitive, diet manga style. There's not terribly much to say, but it's fun as all hell.
Best Moment: The Eggman scene. I actually really enjoyed that.
Worst Moment: The art in its more anime-y style.
Overall: (4/5) It's a lot like seeing a good modern day cartoon that isn't called ADVENTURE TIME; It's not trying to change the face of comics, and is thoroughly entertaining.
VENGEANCE #6 (of 6)
Writer: Joe CaseyArt: Nick Dragotta
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: MajinFu
Just when I thought superheroes had nothing new to offer, Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta have come along and made me fall in love with the concept all over again. The story isn’t exactly new (good vs. evil in a desperate plea to survive) but the lineup is a little different, and that’s part of what makes it such a strong superhero outing. In the climactic last issue, we get to see a handful of characters that missed the FEAR ITSELF memo because they were too busy stopping the universe from being torn apart by chaos. By pitting the newly formed Teen Brigade against the newly formed Young Masters of Evil, Joe Casey has found new ways of commenting on the old hero-villain dynamic while assessing the exciting changes that come with a new age bracket of eccentric super-people.
I came into this series unfamiliar with most of the characters, except the supervillains adorning each stunningly painted cover courtesy of Gabriel Del’Otto. Still, many of the characters are so immediately striking and well-realized in their speech and actions that a majority of the cast are now some of my favorite new characters of the year, especially Miss America and Ultimate Nullifier. Still, there is so much going on across many different planes that there’s hardly any room for characterization. It begins in a Doomless Latveria, where the bad doctor’s son is suddenly assaulted by the YMofE. The Teen Brigade comes to the rescue, and things only escalate from there. Dialog is taut and funny throughout and even though there is a lot going on this issue, it never feels rush or cluttered as the story dashes to its natural conclusion.
Nick Dragotta is one of those lovely artists whose versatility allows him to illustrate the awesome power of a cosmic entity letting loose as well as he conveys the succinct intimacy of two friends reuniting. Brad Simpson’s varied use of colors lifts the visuals to a spectacular level when appropriate with bright pinks and greens, and becomes more muted when necessary (usually the more dialog-heavy moments). It’s gorgeous stuff that will no doubt look even better in the eventual collected work.
Others have referred to this book as the best event comic Marvel produced this year, and while that’s not far off, I think such a label actually limits the perceived scope of the story. It’s really a psychedelic amalgamation of the copious possibilities that are churning just under the surface of Marvel continuity. The overall story serves up a stellar cast and some outstanding action, coupled with an underlying conspiracy that simultaneously ponders upon the nature of morality, chaos and order. My one qualm after finishing the series is that it feels like I’m only getting a piece of the puzzle, a trace of the blueprint for this brave new world of Marvel.
Looking ahead…SPOILERS
I haven’t kept up with all of Joe Casey’s Marvel work but I did check out his ZODIAC mini-series. With ZODIAC, Casey had crafted a character who was every bit as unpredictable and deadly as Deadpool, but placed him squarely on the side of the bad guys. Believe me when I say fans of that series will be pleased with the ending of this book. It looks like Casey’s big plans for the Marvel Universe are just beginning to heat up, and I can’t wait to see where his varied cast of D-listers show up next.
FUBAR Vol. 2 EMPIRE OF THE RISING DEAD
Writer: Jeffrey W. McComsey and variousArtist: Various
Publisher: Fubar Press
Reviewer: Lyzard
274 pages! That was my first reaction when I first began to read FUBAR: EMPIRE OF THE RISING DEAD. I thought it would take me forever to get through this graphic novel. Instead, once finished, I wished it had been longer.
It is hard to say what is more a part of our zeitgeist--vampires or zombies? Obviously, with my background, I favor the intelligent undead. However, I must say that the zombie concoctions of the past few decades have made up their lesser quantity by having better quality. FUBAR is another strong example of how zombies kick their bloodsucker brethrens’ asses.
FUBAR: VOLUME TWO takes place in the WWII Pacific Theatre, a follow up to the first volume of FUBAR that followed the Allied and Axis forces in Europe. If you thought war was brutal, wait until you add zombies. Both sides, Americans and Japanese alike, are faced with a common enemy. Now facing two enemies, will they follow the adage “the enemy of my enemy is my friend?”
This graphic novel isn’t a linear story, but instead a collection of vignettes. Each short story is done by a rotating group of writers and artists. Though the talent continually changes, there is a basic style and tone that remains in all of the tales.
I could criticize a few of the weaker stories, but why focus on the negatives when there were so many positive elements to the book in general, one of these facets being the tone? Any of the writers could have taken advantage of the absurdity of the situation, turning their piece into a dark comedy. Instead, all of the story artists maintained a serious mood with their work, keeping a focus on the tragic. The stakes are high in any war, but they are raised when zombies are thrown in. Each story shows that war is hell, yet even more so when hell rises to Earth.
It would take too long to list all of my favorite stories, so I’ll focus on my top three. “Semper Fi” (Benjamin Truman, Jeff McComsey, Steve Becker, and Timothy Truman) follows a stranded Marine who will go to any lengths to assist his friend. One must question whether his actions stem from camaraderie or desperation.
“Run Silent, Run Dead” (Stephen Lindsay, Daniel Thollin, and Jeff McClelland) is quite predictable, focusing on an American submarine caught amidst enemy vessels. Knowing this is a book about zombies, one can easily see the ending of this story coming, yet the tension does not dissipate, nor the horror.
Finally there is “Hachimaki” (Michael Isenberg, Oliver Mertz, Jeremy Massie, and Jeff McComsey). A young, naïve American soldier is forced to grow up quick when he comes face to face with the enemy. A majority of the stories featured in FUBAR: VOLUME TWO are downers, but “Hachimaki” has a sweet heart to it.
Off the top of my head I cannot think of any zombie period pieces. There is of course “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” but that novel is a comedy. When there are so many projects featuring the undead, originality is a necessity to be noticed. FUBAR has its own spin on the hungry undead, and unlike the new takes on vampires (*cough* sparkly skin *cough*), its exploration of zombies is successful.
Lyzard is actually Lyz Reblin, a senior screenwriting major with an English minor at Chapman University. Along with writing for AICN, she has been published twice on the subject of vampire films.
SUPERMAN #4
Writer: Geroge PerezArt: Jesus Merino & George Perez
Publisher: DC Comics
Reviewer: The Dean
I don’t know where George Perez is going with SUPERMAN, and I’m not sure I care anymore. There must have been a litany of reasons why DC felt this New 52 was needed, but toward the top had to have been the chance to hit the refresh button on the Man of Steel. The first step was obviously to give him that neck collar we’ve all been begging for, as those traps were downright lewd, plus he now has attire appropriate for formal occasions, such as speeches to Congress, or showing Krypto at Westminster. The more challenging, perennial task at hand was making Superman cool again to new readers, and Perez chose to do this by keeping his characterization of Superman so hidden that he’s more boring now than ever.
The story picks up with Jimmy, Miko, and Superman being interrogated by the Metropolis PD, until news breaks that Heather Kelley, former reporter turned ice monster turned missing person, is alive and well. The events that follow are an interesting combination of “who cares?” and “get to it already!” while the supporting cast debates Clark’s mental health and whereabouts, until the big ending revelation that not only are these monsters that have been attacking him Kryptonian, they were created by Superman himself. The story itself bothers me for a few different reasons, chief among them that it was chosen as a debut story, as we haven’t learned anything of worth about this new Superman yet. It isn’t the worst Superman story ever created or anything like that, but it’s among the most banal. Morrison took ACTION COMICS and made Superman young, cocky, and an ideologue - all traits he has displayed before, but shuffled to be the more dominant characteristics, and all apparent since the very first issue of his arc. George Perez made him…forgetful? This is the only standout trait I can point to after four issues of SUPERMAN, and it’s a result of alien interference, I guess.
We also can’t be too sure that we know what the relationship of Metropolis with Superman is yet, as those cops were pretty skeptical of what I thought was supposed to be the established Superman. This sort of thing would make sense in ACTION COMICS, where we know Clark is figuring this whole superhero thing out along with Metropolis, but unless he screws up big time toward the end of Morrison’s run on ACTION, I don’t understand the skeptical or apathetic-at-best attitude that this city has toward Superman. Unless of course it’s because they’re all tired of Superman drawing these freakin’ Kryptonians to their city, causing them to be late to work in the morning or dead? If there’s one thing both SUPERMAN and ACTION COMICS have in common, it’s that Superman certainly is not the last anything of Krypton. I’ll gladly excuse Morrison because he’s making it fun, and because I’m a sucker for Braniac, but Perez’s generic fire, ice, and invisimonsters have me impatiently waiting for Keith Giffens and Dan Jurgens to take over in March, and hopefully pretend none of this ever happened.
I’m happy that Jesus Merino will be sticking around for the new team of Giffens and Jurgens, as outside of the quick Mort Weisinger reference in this issue, Merino’s artwork has been the only redeeming quality of the title. While he does do a great job handling the giant “f--- you” to artists everywhere that is Jim Lee’s ridiculously complicated redesign, the new Clark can use a bit of work. Clark looks a bit too similar to the one we’re seeing in ACTION, who is supposed to look a little haggard and sloppy because his life is a struggle for balance in those early years. Merino’s Clark just looks like he’s never been able to pull it together, as he just can’t find the time to comb his hair or tuck his shirt in. But again, Merino’s overall work on the series has been enjoyable, and it continues to be the only real bright spot in the title with this last issue as well.
But the artwork alone is in no way good enough for me to recommend this to anyone, even the most diehard , need to buy everything with an ‘S’ on it, Superman fan. If it weren’t for that ‘S’ I wouldn’t even be sure this was a Superman comic, as battling elemental demons and a swarm of insects seems more in line with a HELLBLAZER issue, and probably a bad one at that. So save that $2.99 a month, Superman fans, at least until March, and put it toward an issue of the far more enjoyable Weisinger titles that were brought to memory instead. That way, Perez can at least be thanked for reminding us that Superman has been much more fun in the past.
BLACK FIRE OGN
Writer & Artist: Hernán RodriguezPublisher: Archaia
Reviewer: BottleImp
Sometimes a horror story—whether in prose, film or graphic form—can be enhanced in mood by its setting. In juxtaposing the horror and violence of mankind with an older, more primeval sort of evil, the story can gain a deeper resonance and meaning. Such is the case with Hernán Rodriguez’s BLACK FIRE, which pits French soldiers from the Napoleonic War against the evil of the mythological Czernobog, the Russian god of death, fire and darkness. But though the graphic novel is successful in many ways in its depiction of a battle between good and evil, there is one flaw in the story that ultimately keeps it from attaining its full potential as a great graphic work.
The strongest thing that BLACK FIRE has going for it is its sense of atmosphere. The entire graphic novel is imbued with a pervading mood of dread and fear, and not just your run-of-the-mill, standard monster-comic willies. The very real horror of the frigid Russian winter is nearly as great a menace to the story’s protagonists as the evil Slavic deity. Indeed, for the first good third of the book the combination of frostbite and near-starvation in the deserted village the soldiers are trapped in gives the reader an almost palpable feeling of isolation and despair. Once the supernatural element comes more fully into play, those emotions quickly turn to terror. Both Rodriguez’s script and visuals work together well to convey the book’s tone, but it’s his drawing style that puts the fear into each page. Rodriguez works in a quasi-expressionist style, with masterful use of heavy black areas as well as scratchier linework that evoke the aforementioned emotional responses. It reminds me a lot of Ted McKeever’s style, though Rodriguez never goes quite as gonzo with his figures as McKeever usually does. The use of color is also expertly handled, with the bleak snowbound village rendered in muted blues and grays, while the evil power of Czernobog flares up off the page in reds and oranges, all balanced by the judicious use of solid black inks.
If the plot were as innovative and expertly handled as the artwork, this graphic novel would be an instant classic. The one weakness that I found in reading BLACK FIRE, however, is in its instant familiarity. Unfortunately, nearly every beat of the story echoed back the plot points of the famous F. Paul Wilson fantasy-horror novel “The Keep.” We have the soldiers trapped in a foreign land—in this case Napoleonic troops in the village of Nogrod; in Wilson’s book Nazis in the titular Keep—an ancient evil unwittingly released from imprisonment, a weapon to defeat that evil being found within the place of imprisonment, and even a destined savior marked by his unique physical appearance—here the French soldier Serpierre’s albinism; in “The Keep” the red hair of the near-immortal Glaeken. The dark god in BLACK FIRE even speaks and acts through the bodies of the dead, like a puppeteer through a marionette…and much like the evil Molasar does to the murdered Nazi soldiers in “The Keep.” Constant reminders such as these examples kept me from getting truly immersed in Rodriguez’s story, as I was jolted out of the narrative each time I was struck by such similarities between the two works. I can’t help but think that Rodriguez was heavily influenced by Wilson’s novel (or maybe even the DEEPLY flawed Michael Mann film from the 1980s based on the book), whether consciously or subconsciously. And Hernán, if you’ve never read or seen “The Keep,” I’m sorry, pal—I guess it’s just one of those strange cases of synchronicity that spans decades and continents.
It is this familiarity of concept that limits this graphic novel’s impact, making BLACK FIRE (for those of us who have read “The Keep”) an extremely well-executed yet seemingly unoriginal story. If you’ve never read the F. Paul Wilson book or seen the ‘80s-tastic movie, however, BLACK FIRE is a journey into horrors both earthly and supernal that will undoubtedly resonate with fans of dark fantasy.
MONDO #1
Writer/Art: Ted McKeeverPublisher: Image Comics
Reviewer: MajinFu
“B’gok!”
It’s hard to describe what actually happens in the story so far, since McKeever seems to be going for the slow burn approach for the first issue. A severely malnourished derelict named Catfish who works in a factory where he “enhances” poultry is scorned by those around him…until he suffers an incredible physiological transformation from a work-related accident. A mysterious rogue chicken is involved in all the fowl play, and people are no doubt going to get hurt in the next issue.
That’s the basic premise, a simple one that nonetheless feels very fresh thanks to the moody execution by writer/artist Todd McKeever. His surrealist approach teeters between graffiti-like stylizations and stark realism to great effect, particularly in his illustrations of chickens. The black and white illustrations are frequently steeped in shadow, creating an ominous mood that still somehow feels the teensiest bit silly. The numerous shifts in perspective and creative compositions guide the reader’s eye along Catfish’s twisted path…toward what, we don’t know. Startling visual inconsistencies give way to ominous hints of what is to come for our poor hero. Is it redemption, revenge, or is he just looking for a hot meal and a community that respects him? The story is simple, yet it offers so many intriguing possibilities through the little hints in the plot that I can’t help but get wonder where exactly this series will go next.
My one criticism is that many of the characters are rather one-dimensional in their relentless bullying of Catfish, but again this is only the first issue and it looks like the dynamic could take a sharp turn in the other direction by next issue.
Fans of Guillory and Layman’s CHEW should check this book out. Fans of earlier Image comics will probably also enjoy this, since it is tonally similar to something like MAXX, but more sinister. At times the story recalls some of the harsher humor from that series, while maintaining a style that is entirely unique and incredibly gritty by comparison. It’s a rough yarn, not for the faint of heart or alektorophobics. But no matter how you cut it, it’s 32 pages of solid comics.
AICN COMICS PODCAST #10
Looks for more of the Holes rambling about comics on Poptards in future AICN COMICS columns!
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
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